The two most important things to get for diarrhea are an oral rehydration solution and, for most adults, an over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication like loperamide. Dehydration is the real danger with diarrhea, not the diarrhea itself, so replacing lost fluids and electrolytes comes first. Beyond that, a few other products can shorten the episode or keep you comfortable while your body recovers.
Oral Rehydration: The Top Priority
Water alone isn’t enough. When you have diarrhea, you lose both water and essential salts with every loose stool. Oral rehydration solutions (sold as Pedialyte, DripDrop, or store-brand equivalents) contain the right balance of sodium, sugar, and water to help your intestines absorb fluid efficiently. These are especially critical for young children and older adults, who dehydrate faster.
If you can’t get to a store, you can make a simple version at home using the World Health Organization’s formula: mix half a teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar into just over four cups of clean water. It won’t taste great, but it works. Sip it steadily rather than gulping large amounts at once, which can trigger nausea.
Signs you’re getting dehydrated include urinating less than usual, a dry mouth, and skin that stays pinched or tented when you pull it up instead of flattening back quickly. In infants, watch for no wet diapers for three hours or more.
Over-the-Counter Anti-Diarrheal Medications
Two main options sit on the pharmacy shelf, and they work differently.
Loperamide (sold as Imodium) slows down your gut, giving your intestines more time to absorb water. It’s the stronger option for stopping frequent, watery stools. The standard adult dose is 4 mg to start, then 2 mg after each loose stool, up to 8 mg per day for the over-the-counter version. It works fast and is particularly useful for traveler’s diarrhea or situations where you simply need relief.
Bismuth subsalicylate (sold as Pepto-Bismol) is milder. It coats the gut lining and has some antibacterial properties, so it also helps with nausea, gas, and stomach upset that often come alongside diarrhea. Adults can take 525 mg every 30 to 60 minutes as needed, up to 4,200 mg in 24 hours, for up to two days. It will turn your tongue and stools black temporarily, which is harmless.
There’s one important exception: do not take loperamide if you have bloody stools, a high fever, or suspect a bacterial infection like food poisoning from Salmonella or similar organisms. Slowing your gut in those cases traps the harmful bacteria inside longer and can make things worse. Bismuth subsalicylate is generally the safer pick when you’re unsure what’s causing the problem. Neither medication is recommended for children under two, and loperamide should be avoided in children under five.
Probiotics That Actually Help
Not all probiotics are equal for diarrhea, but two specific strains have solid clinical evidence behind them. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (found in Culturelle) and Saccharomyces boulardii (found in Florastor) have both been shown to shorten diarrhea episodes meaningfully. A large Cochrane review of multiple studies found that probiotics reduced diarrhea duration by about 30 hours on average and cut the risk of diarrhea lasting three or more days by roughly a third.
Saccharomyces boulardii performed particularly well for persistent cases. People taking it were 59% less likely to still have diarrhea by day four compared to those who didn’t. These probiotics work best when started early in the illness, so pick them up at the same time as your other supplies. They’re safe for both adults and children.
Zinc Supplements for Children
For children with diarrhea, zinc is worth adding to the mix. The World Health Organization recommends 20 mg of zinc daily for 10 to 14 days for children six months and older (10 mg daily for infants under six months). Zinc has been shown to reduce both the duration and severity of diarrhea episodes and helps prevent recurrence in the following two to three months. For infants, dissolve the tablet in a small amount of breast milk or clean water. Older children can chew the tablet or dissolve it. This recommendation is primarily for children in the context of acute diarrhea, not a routine adult supplement.
What to Eat (and What to Skip)
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s been recommended for decades, but no clinical trials have ever proven it works, and nutrition researchers have flagged serious concerns. The diet is low in calories, protein, fat, and several important nutrients. Sticking with it for more than a day or two can actually slow your recovery, particularly in children.
That said, bananas and rice aren’t bad choices as part of a broader diet. Bananas contain a type of resistant starch that may help protect the gut lining, and rice-based fluids have been shown to reduce stool volume. The key is not to limit yourself to just those four foods. Eat a balanced, age-appropriate diet as soon as you feel up to it. For breastfed infants, continue nursing. For formula-fed babies, keep giving full-strength formula.
Foods worth avoiding while your gut is irritated include dairy (if it seems to worsen symptoms), greasy or fried foods, high-sugar drinks like juice and soda (which can pull more water into the intestines), caffeine, and alcohol. Plain, well-cooked foods with some protein tend to be easiest to tolerate: chicken soup, eggs, potatoes, and cooked vegetables.
When Diarrhea Needs Medical Attention
Most diarrhea resolves on its own within a day or two. But certain signs mean it’s time to call a doctor rather than manage things at home:
- For adults: diarrhea lasting more than two days, a high fever, six or more loose stools per day, black or tarry stools, blood or pus in stool, severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration
- For children: diarrhea lasting more than one day, any fever in infants, refusal to eat or drink for more than a few hours, or signs of dehydration like no wet diapers for three hours
- For anyone: a noticeable change in mental state such as unusual irritability, confusion, or lack of energy, or frequent vomiting that makes it impossible to keep fluids down
Infants under 12 months, premature babies, and children with other medical conditions warrant faster medical attention. If a child can’t drink enough fluids or oral rehydration solution to stay hydrated, that alone is reason to get help.
A Quick Shopping List
If you’re heading to the store right now, here’s what to grab:
- Oral rehydration solution (Pedialyte for kids, any electrolyte solution for adults)
- Loperamide (Imodium) for adults without fever or bloody stools, or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) as a gentler all-around option
- A targeted probiotic: Culturelle (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) or Florastor (Saccharomyces boulardii)
- Zinc supplements if a child is affected
- Bland but balanced foods: bananas, rice, broth, eggs, crackers